ScottishPower Renewables, developer of the East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm, held a supply chain event at the Norfolk Showground [today] which saw hundreds of business from across the region and further afield attend to hear about the opportunities on the project.

The event, held on Thursday 2nd March, formed part of the East of England Energy Group’s Southern North Sea (SNS) conference. ScottishPower Renewables is in the process of finalising its major contracts for the construction and supply of components for the £2.5bn East Anglia ONE windfarm and together with its contractors outlined future opportunities on the project.

The supply chain event saw a number of the company’s East Anglia ONE contractors present to the audience about the scope of works to be carried out. Each contractor also detailed the services they would be looking to utilise to carry out the works and explained how businesses could get involved in the project.

Opportunities on the construction of East Anglia ONE range from civil and electrical works, vessel and ports support, to technicians, logistics and more. For SMEs keen to be involved in the project, and the offshore wind industry in general, the event presented a brilliant opportunity to gain a real insight into what is required to build a project such as East Anglia ONE.

Individuals from local companies were able to listen to the services required and then network with these key individuals in the exhibition area.

Charlie Jordan, project director of East Anglia ONE, commented: “We’re delighted to see so many local businesses here for our supply chain event. We are already working with a number of companies from across the region and together with our suppliers we are looking forward to working with many more.

“This is an exciting time for East Anglia ONE, there are so many opportunities and it’s great to be able to hold an event like this to encourage local companies to get involved and benefit from the construction of the project. East Anglia ONE is one of four projects we are planning to build in the Southern North Sea and we are very keen to build a strong supply chain and a skilled local workforce.”

East Anglia ONE is a £2.5billion windfarm being built approximately 42 kilometres off the coast of East Anglia. The electricity generated from the offshore windfarm will be brought onshore at Bawdsey, Suffolk, by cables which will then be laid underground 37km to Bramford, where a substation is being constructed adjacent to the National Grid substation. Once fully operational in 2020, East Anglia ONE will generate enough electricity to power up to 500,000* homes per year, which is almost all of the households in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Information was also provided on the current status of the project by ScottishPower Renewables offshore managing director, Jonathan Cole, and East Anglia ONE project director, Charlie Jordan. Onshore construction of East Anglia ONE is due to commence in spring this year, with offshore construction due to commence in 2018. The first turbines are planned to be installed in 2019, with plans for the project to be fully operational during 2020. East Anglia ONE will be the most cost efficient offshore windfarm ever to confirm construction.

* Calculated taking the number of megawatts (714) multiplied by the number of hours in one year (8,766), multiplied by the average load factor for offshore wind for 2014 (most up to date figure available) (34.88 %, published by the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics), divided by the average annual household energy consumption

About East Anglia ONE:

East Anglia ONE will see 102 wind turbines installed in the southern North Sea, approx. 26 miles off the coast. The overall investment will be in the region of £2.5 billion, and the project is planned to meet the annual electricity demands of the equivalent of 500,000 homes.

Construction is planned to commence in 2017, with the first turbines installed by 2019, and hopes that the project will be fully operational during 2020.